Clutch device for pumps



July 1, 1924.

S. N. HALL CLUTCH DEVICE FOR PUMPS Filed Sent. 8, 1920 2 Shaeta-Sheet I FII3.1-

FIELS.

INVENTOR I i Em A I v Jul 1 1924.

S. N. HALL CLUTCH DEVICE FOR PUMPS Filed Sept. 8, 1920 2 Sheets-Shea. 2

INVENTOR AKA-#1 9 Patented July 1, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,499,923 PATENT OFFICE.

5111131. U. HALL, OF L08 AHGELES, CALIFORNIA, LBSIGIIOB TO IAEIION I. um,

' I108 AHGmS, CALIFORNIA.

OI U'I'OH DEVICE FOB runs.

Application fled September I, 1920. Serial lo. M.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL N. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the count of Los Angeles and State of California, ave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutch Devices for Pumps, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a clutch device for well or pum mechanism, involving the use of a centri ugal or rotary pump with power transmission and discharge means extendin u wardl to the surface of the groun I has or its primary object the provision of improved means for preventin the backward movement of the pump impe lers and the driving mechanism after the pump is stop ed due to the return to the well of the co umn of water in the discha casing, as such backward movement ten s to loosen the screw connections in the pump shaft. A further object of the invention is to provide means of the character specified which are of cheap simple construc- 2 tion, operating noiselessly on the forward movement of the pump and not subject to wear durin such forward movement; Certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fi re 1 is a partial vertical section and partial side elevation of a pump equipped with the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the lower clutch members shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the clutch device employed. Fig. 4 is a partial vertical section on the line IVI of Fig. 2. And Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical sections through modified forms of clutch devices. A

The invention is designed to provide a simple and effective means for preventing the backward movement of the pump impellers with the shaft and driving mechanism after the pump has stopped. Under these conditions and with a relatively deep well the water flows backward through the discharge casing rotating the impellers with an increasing velocity until the level of the water in the discharge casing reaches that in the well. The impellers then immediately act as a powerful brake tendin to stop the backward rotation of the she When the shaft is driven by an electric motor, the inertia of the rotating motor parts is very considerable and reaches its maximum at the time the level of the water in the discharge casing arrives at the level of the water in the well so that at this time when the braking efiect of the water upon the impellers is applied a powerful twist is exerted upon the drive shaft which twist tends to loosen and unscrew the sections of the shaft.

The resent invention is desi ed to overcome t is difliculty, and bri y stated involves the use of an automatic clutch which will permit the forward movement of the drive shaft Without an interference therewith but will lock an prevent any backward movement as soon as the forward rotation of the shaft is stopped.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 is the casing of a rotary or centrifugal pump from which the discharge casing 2 leads upward to the platform 3 at the surface of the well. For convenience in illustration the casing and other parts inside such casing are broken away below the platform, but it will be understood that the distance which ordinarily separates the pump 1 and the platform 3 is relatively great, running anywhere from feet up to several hundred feet so that the column of water in the casing 2 is of very considerable hei ht and in the ordinary pump the backwar movement of such column of water after the pum steps will give the pump impeller and the rive shaft a rapid movement of rotation. The impellers 4 are carried by the drive shaft 5 and such drive shaft is surrounded by shaft casin 6, extending to the platform 3. The sha t 5 is made up of a plurality of sections, the bottom only of one of such sections being shown, and these sections are connected b the ordinary sleeve couplings so arrange that the forward movement of the shaft tends to tighten them, but the backward movement tends to loosen them resulting in the difficulty heretofore referred to.

Referring to the 11 per portion of the construction in Fig. 1, Z is the motor provided with a stub shaft 8 coupled at 9 to the upper clutch member 10, which forms a part of the im rovement to which this invention is particu arly directed. The upper clutch member 10 is keyed to the pump shaft 5 and opposes a ower clutch member 11, which is fixed in position by being screw threaded into the casting 12, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The particular construction of the clutch will be seen by reference to Fi 2, 3 and 4. The lower clutch member is provided with four recesses 13 each of which has its forward side 14 inclined as indicated in Fig. 4 and its rear side upright as indicated at 15 in Fig. 4. The upper clutch member is provided with recesses 16 opposing the recesses in the lower member, such recesses having outwardly directed portions 17. When the shaft 5 is rotated forwardly the balls 15 are rolled along the sides 14 of the recess in the lower clutch member and centrifu force then carries them to the positions indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, at which time they are entirely out of contact with the clutc member 11. As soon as the rotation of the shaft stops, the balls dro by gravity to the positions indicated in ull hues in Fig. 3, and when in this position they prevent the backward movement of the shaft due to the fact that the rear walls of the recesses in the lower clutch member are u right as indicated at 15. It will be seen t at the clutch is automatic in action the balls being moved to inoperative position by centrifu al force when the shaft is rotated forward and that such balls move back automatically to locking osition as soon as the forward rotation o the shaft stops. The device, therefore, requires no attention and there is substantially no wear upon it since the balls are out of wearing contact during the forward movement of the shaft. The clutch device may be conveniently installed at the location indicated in Fig. 1, but it will be understood that this clutch might be placed anywhere along the line of the shaft 5 wherever it is convenient to lace two clutch members.

arious other arrangements of clutches might be applied for accomplishing the same function, only two of a large number of means being shown in Fi s. 5 and 6. In Fig. 5 the upper clutch member 18, which is keyed to the shaft 5, is provided with an inclined recess 19 which opposes a recess 20 in the lower clutch mem er 21, such latter recess having its front wall inclined and its rear wall straight corres onding to the construction illustrated in Fig. 4. The forward rotation of the shaft carries the balls 22 out of the recess in the clutch member 21 and centrifugal force holds the balls in the up per ends of the recess 19 as long as the shaft rotates forwardly, the balls then dropping back to position as indicated.

In the construction of Fig. 6 the pins 23 are mounted in the upper clutch member 24, the recess 25 in the lower clutch member 26 being similar in construction to those of 2, 3, and 4. The slots or recesses whichcarrythepins23aresoformedthat when the pins have been moved upwardly room is provided for their outward movement also so that they assume the osition illustrated, at which time the neck 0 the pin is engaged as indicated at 27 and as long as the rotation of the shaft continues, the pin is held against downward movement. Various other embodiments of the clutch for carrying out the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a vertical driven shaft, of a clutchdisc or plate secured to the shaft so as to rotate therewith and having passages extending from its lower horizontal face upward, a fixed clutch member with its upper face in 0 position to the lower face 0 said plate an provided on such face with grooves of increasing depth in opposition to said pa, and wedging members 1 ing partly in lpassages and partly in e grooves and preventing backward movement of said plate and the shaft, but adapted to be moved up into said passages so as to clear the fixed member when said plate is moved forwardly and to be held in such upper tion by centrifugal force.

2 Tfie combination with a vertical driven shaft, of a clutch disc or plate secured to the shaft so as to rotate therewith and having passages extending from its lower horizontal face, upward, a fixed clutch member with its upper face in opposition to the lower face of said-plate and provided on such face with grooves of increasing depth in op osition to said assages, and wedging balls ying partly in t e passages and artly in the grooves and preventing bac ward movement of said plate and the shaft, but adapted to be moved up into said assages so as to clear the fixed member w en said plate is moved forwardly and to be held in such ppper position by centrifugal force.

3. e combination with a vertical driven shaft of a clutch disc or plate secured to the shaft so as to rotate therewith and having passages extending from its lower horizontal face upwardly and outwardly, a fixed clutch member with its u per face opposite the lower face of said p ate, and provided in such face with grooves of increasing depth in opposition to said passages, wedging balls lying partly in said passages and partly in said grooves and preventing backward movement of said late and the shaft, but adapted to be mov up into said passages so as to clear said member when said plate is moved forwardly and to be held in such upper osition by centrifugal force.

4. In com ination, a vertical drive shaft and means for driving the shaft, of means for preventing the backward movement of the shaft com rising a lower fixed clutch member provi ed with a recess in its upper face with one side upright and the other mclined an o posing u rotatable wit the she a recess op osite the first recess and extending upwar ly and outwardly, and a clutch element 1 ing in the recesses and preventing backwar movement of the u per member, but adapted to move upward y on the said inclined side of the first recess, and outwardly in the second recess by centrifugal force when the shaft is rotated forwardl 5. In combination, a vertical drive s aft and means for driving the shaft, of means for preventing the backward movement of the shaft comprising a lower fixed clutch per clutch member and provided with member provided with a recess in its upper face with one side upright and the other inclined, an opposing upper clutch member rotatable with the shaft and provided with a recess opposite the first recess and extendin% upwardly and outwardly, and a clutch ba 1 lyin in the recesses and preventing backwar movement of the upper member, but adapted to be moved upwardly on said inclined side of the recess in the lower member and outwardlg x in the recess in u per member by centri gal force when the shaft is rotated forwardly.

S. N. HALL. 

